true_villainsfandomcom-20200213-history
Ramsay Bolton
Ramsay Snow or Ramsay Bolton is one of the most despicable characters from the A Song of Ice and Fire franchise along with Gregor Clegane, Vargo Hoat, Euron Greyjoy, Rorge, Qyburn, Joffrey Baratheon etc. He is a manipulative, psychopathic, sadistic, nasty and ruthless human being who enjoys flaying his victims alive, raping women, and feeding living people to his dogs. He is a bastard of Roose Bolton and so he hates that fact and has a complex. Appearance Ramsay is an ugly young man, even when dressed finely. He is big boned and slope shouldered, with a fleshiness indicating he will be fat later in life. Ramsay's skin is pink and blotchy, his nose broad, his hair long and dark and dry. Although his mouth is small, Ramsay's lips are wide and meaty, wormy looking, and he smiles a wet-lipped smile. His distinctive eyes resemble Roose's - small, close-set, and oddly pale, like two chips of dirty ice. Ramsay sometimes wears a garnet cut in the shape of a drop of blood in his right ear. Ramsay sometimes wears a black leather jerkin over a pink velvet doublet slashed with dark red satin, along with black boots, belt, and scabbard.5 For battle Ramsay wears dark armor with a red helm and a pale pink cloak. His rounded helm and gorget resemble the face and shoulders of a skinless and bloody man whose mouth is open in a silent scream.6 Ramsay's weapons include a falchion, a dagger, and a flaying knife, all with hilts of yellow bone. History Ramsay is the product of rape between Roose Bolton and a miller's wife. While hunting along the Weeping Water, Roose saw the miller's wife and decided to illicitly practice the banned tradition of the first night, wherein a lord had the right to bed the commoner's bride. He hanged the miller under a tree for not informing his lord of the new marriage and raped the bride beneath his swaying body. A year later the woman arrived at the Dreadfort with the newborn Ramsay. Roose nearly killed her and the babe, but when he saw the child had his eyes, the taboo of kinslaying stayed his hand. The woman claimed her husband's brother stole the mill and cast her out. Angered by this, Roose had the man's tongue removed so he would spread no tales to Roose's liege lord, Rickard Stark. Roose then gave the woman the mill along with a pig, several chicks and a bag of stars every year on the condition that she never reveal to Ramsay the truth about who his father was. Ramsay's mother arrived at the castle years later claiming she needed help in raising Ramsay, who grew up wild and unruly. Roose sent Ramsay a servant known as Reek. Reek, despite taking constant washes, always smelled bad due to some "unknown birth condition" that caused his skin to reek, thus his nickname. Giving him to Ramsay and his mother was actually a cruel jest by Roose, but Ramsay and Reek grew inseparable. Roose would later reflect on whether Ramsay had corrupted Reek or whether Reek had corrupted Ramsay, though Reek would follow Ramsay's orders quite faithfully; Ramsay mentioned once that Reek knew better than to deny him. Despite Roose's instruction to Ramsay's mother, either she or Reek eventually informed him of his true parentage. Roose believes that both Reek and Ramsay's mother were urging Ramsay on, and constantly reminding the increasingly violent bastard of his "rights." While most bastards content themselves with their lot in life, Ramsay had larger ambitions. Roose's elder, trueborn son Domeric attempted to forge a sibling connection with his half-brother, though Ramsay swiftly went about disposing of him with poison, thus robbing Roose of his heir and becoming a kinslayer. Ramsay earned the enmity of House Dustin in the process, as Lady Barbrey Dustin was fond of her nephew, Domeric. Two years prior to the beginning of the War of the Five Kings, Roose brought Ramsay to the Dreadfort as he had no other sons, trueborn or otherwise.7 Ramsay doubtless learned to read and write while there.9 Ramsay is accompanied by Dreadfort men called the Bastard's Boys, such as Sour Alyn, Luton, and Skinner. However, they are tasked by Roose with spying on Ramsay on behalf of the Lord of the Dreadfort.2 While his father, Lord Roose Bolton, is in southern Westeros during the War of the Five Kings, Ramsay begins to amass troops at the Dreadfort.7 When he receives news that the neighboring lands of House Hornwood have lost both Lord Halys and his heir Daryn, Ramsay attacks, taking the Hornwood keep and forcing the widowed Lady Donella Hornwood to marry him.10 He rapes her, forces her to sign a document proclaiming him Lord of the Hornwood, then locks her in a tower without food, where she starves to death after eating some of her fingers.4 The infamous Ramsay practices rape, murder, and other crimes around the lands adjacent to the Dreadfort. Ser Rodrik Cassel attempts to put an end to his atrocities after Ramsay forced himself upon Lady Hornwood. Rodrik's party comes across Ramsay shortly after he raped and killed a peasant girl and his companion Reek raped the corpse. Ramsay is able to survive by switching clothes with Reek, who is killed in his place.6 Rodrik yearns to put Ramsay-disguised-as-Reek to death too, but he needs him as a witness to many of Ramsay's crimes and brings him to Winterfell.4 In the riverlands, Roose informs Ser Edmure Tully that Ramsay has been killed by Rodrik, and he hopes his campaign against Harrenhal will make up for his bastard's actions in the eyes of Robb Stark, King in the North.11 After Theon Greyjoy captures Winterfell, Ramsay exchanges a vow of service to Theon for his release from Winterfell's dungeon.12 He quickly becomes one of Theon's more trusted attendants, assisting Theon in his hunt to bring the escaped Bran and Rickon Stark back to Winterfell.13 He orchestrates Theon's cover-up of the Stark boys' escape by killing two peasant boys of an age with the Starks, and then flaying the corpses to avoid recognition. Theon presents their flayed corpses as the Starks, then has their heads mounted on spikes over the castle walls. With the approval of Theon, Ramsay kills Gelmarr, Aggar and Gynir, ironborn who knew the truth about the bodies. Theon uses the Winterfell kennelmaster Farlen as a scapegoat and has him executed for the murders. Theon contemplates killing Reek too, but thinks better of it, fearing the servant had written and hidden an account of the truth.9 The tide soon turns against Theon, however, when Dagmer Cleftjaw's assault is broken and the northmen, enraged at Theon's duplicity and supposed murder of the young Stark children, march on Winterfell to liberate it. Unwilling to abandon the castle, though harboring few delusions about how likely a victory is, Theon and the few ironmen loyal to him prepare to make their final stand. Ramsay offers to help Theon by taking a large sum of money to the Dreadfort and returning with much-needed reinforcement, to which Theon reluctantly agrees.9 Ramsay and his forces march to Winterfell, where Ser Rodrik Cassel and his host move to greet them. Ramsay has swapped his serving man's garb for a full set of armor complete with a red helmet. As the castellan offers him his hand in friendship, however, Ramsay slices Cassel's arm off and leads his forces in a rampage through the stunned northmen's ranks. Following the battle at Winterfell, Ramsay rides to the castle's gates and presents the corpses of Rodrik, Leobald Tallhart and Cley Cerwyn to an onlooking Theon as a sign of his loyalty. Theon opens the gates and meets with Ramsay himself, who removes his red helmet and reveals his true identity. He tells Theon that he would much enjoy the use of his bed-warmer Kyra, and knocks him to the floor when Theon protests. Ramsay carries out a great sack of Winterfell, murdering many of its inhabitants in cold blood, slaughtering the remaining ironmen, and capturing Theon in the process. While traveling through the northern mountains toward the Wall, Bran Stark is told by a Liddle that the Bastard's boys are riding the kingsroad and asking about strangers.14 Ramsay keeps Theon at the Dreadfort, where he reportedly flays him. He sends a small piece of his skin to King Robb Stark as a gift, to show vengeance is being exacted for Bran and Rickon Stark's "murders." Ramsay's father, Lord Roose Bolton, murders Robb at the Red Wedding. Afterward, House Bolton is rewarded for their service to the Lannisters, with Roose named Warden of the North and Ramsay betrothed to a girl posing as Arya Stark (Jeyne Poole); this would give Ramsay a claim to become Lord of Winterfell. They also receive a decree of legitimization from King Tommen I Baratheon, making him Ramsay Bolton instead of a bastard Snow. Ramsay forces Theon Greyjoy to take on the role of Reek, his slain serving man, never allowing Theon to bathe and covering him in excrement. Ramsay also removes the skin on several of Theon's toes and fingers, leaving him in agony for days before removing the joints. Ramsay breaks off several of Theon's teeth as he hated Theon's smile. It is also implied that Ramsay castrates Theon. Ramsay makes "Little" Walder and "Big" Walder Frey his squires.5 During a feast at the Dreadfort, Theon is brought before Ramsay as he dines next to Arnolf Karstark and Hother Umber. Ramsay plays mind games with Theon, before telling him he has a part to play.5 Ramsay captures Moat Cailin from the ironborn by sending Theon in as an envoy. Ramsay promises food and safe passage to the sick and starving islanders if they surrender.3 When they do surrender, Ramsay has all of them, bar his pet Theon, flayed alive and displays their skinless bodies on poles along the road by Moat Cailin. Roose is displeased by Ramsay's behavior, stating that he needs to be more discreet with his practices as his infamous exploits are now well known throughout the north. The Boltons call upon the northern bannerman to assemble in Barrowton to pledge loyalty to the Iron Throne and attend the wedding of "Arya Stark", actually Jeyne Poole, to Ramsay.18 From Barrowton, Ramsay and his Bastard Boys unsuccessfully search for the missing Frey envoys, Rhaegar, Symond, and Jared. During the search he kills a peasant who addressed him politely as Lord Snow instead of Lord Bolton. When Ramsay returns to Barrowton, a feast is held by House Stout at their keep, as Lady Barbrey Dustin has barred Ramsay from Barrow Hall. After hearing that Stannis Baratheon has taken Deepwood Motte, Roose decides to move the wedding from Barrowton to Winterfell to strengthen Ramsay's claim as Lord of Winterfell and to goad Stannis into fighting. Roose tells Theon that Ramsay will kill any sons birthed by Roose's new wife, Walda Frey.2 At Winterfell, Ramsay weds Jeyne Poole, with only himself, his father and Theon knowing the girl is not Arya Stark, and he repeatedly abuses her while Theon watches.19 Jeyne and Theon, however, are rescued and freed by Mance Rayder, whom Jon Snow sent to rescue his "sister" when he heard of the wedding.2021 Although Jeyne and Theon escape, Jon receives by raven a message purportedly from Ramsay claiming he has Mance, has defeated the northern army and killed Stannis in battle and claims he now possesses Stannis's sword. He also states that he wants his bride back, as well as Queen Selyse Florent, Princess Shireen Baratheon, Melisandre, Val, the 'wildling prince' (actually the son of Gilly) and his Reek, and will come for Jon if he does not give him what he wants.22 Whether the letter actually came from Ramsay, and which parts, if any, of the letter's contents are true remains unknown. Category:Psycopaths Category:Psychological Abusers Category:Sadists Category:Torturers Category:Traitors Category:Total Darkness Category:Foremost Category:Sociopaths Category:Politicians Category:Power Hungry Category:Opportunists Category:Rapists Category:Murderers Category:Tyrants Category:Warmongers Category:Warlords Category:War Criminals Category:Poisoner Category:Leaders Category:Aristocrats Category:Charismatic Villains Category:Child Abusers Category:Destroyer of Innoncence Category:Deceased Category:Destroyer Category:Master Manipulators Category:Abusers Category:Fearmongers Category:Mass Murderers Category:Arrogant Villains Category:Cheater Category:Archenemy Category:Conspirators Category:Control Freaks Category:Corrupting Influence Category:Cowards Category:Evil VS Evil Category:Chaotic Evil Category:Evil Ruler Category:Mental Illness Category:Narcissists Category:Megalomaniacs Category:Animal Cruelty Category:Animal Killers Category:Egomaniacs Category:Users Category:Provoker Category:Usurpers Category:Died in Disgrace Category:Dictators Category:Liars Category:Television Villains Category:Fantasy Villains Category:Live Action Villains